


Red

by huangrenjn



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Breaking Up & Making Up, Explicit Language, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Making Out, Marks a bitch ngl, Possibly Unrequited Love, Sad Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:55:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23571196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/huangrenjn/pseuds/huangrenjn
Summary: “you look so good in red.”
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 3
Kudos: 33





	1. you look so good in red

**Author's Note:**

> hi, this is my first chapter fic. it’s probably really messy and i more than likely have many grammatical errors so i’m apologizing for them in advance. as always, i hope you enjoy.

The Triangular Theory of love explains the topic of love in interpersonal relationships. Psychologist Robert Sternberg's theory describes types of love based on three different elements: intimacy, passion, and commitment. Different stages and types of love can be explained through combinations of these elements. The scales of love can change over time as a relationship runs it’s route. 

Mark thinks it's bullshit if he’s being honest. Three elements can’t explain all love. 

He hates psychology, but Donghyuck loves it. 

Donghyuck loves how it explains people’s minds, the reasoning behind what they do and why. Donghyuck swears that psychology is his passion and after college he’s going to be a therapist because he can and Mark quotes “read people like a book.” Which technically isn’t a lie. Donghyuck could read people, and well. He just couldn't read Mark. Mark felt like an ancient manuscript written in a symbolic dead language. He’d never open up to the younger boy about how he felt, especially when it came to donghyuck and whatever odd relationship they had going on. It was Mark’s fault, he knew it. They were strained, falling apart. But Donghyuck’s stubborn, he refuses to let Mark allow whatever they have crumbled in the palm of his hands. Even if it breaks him apart every time he looks Mark in the eyes and tells him he loves him only to be met with a somber stare. Mark doesn't know how he feels, it’s confusing, his feelings for the younger boy. All he knows is that he feels like a black hole when Donghyuck isn’t around. 

It’s killing donghyuck. He feels like a knife is slowly being pressed into his heart every day, but he’s adamant in his belief that Mark loves him. 

And it’s not that Mark doesn’t love him, he just doesn’t know. The ambiguity of it, slowly killing whatever’s left of them. 

The kitchen’s a mess. There’s a sink full of dishes, and take out containers littering the counters. The trash needs to be taken out and the Fridge needs to be restocked. Donghyucks favorite red and black oven mitts sit right where he left them, on the island next to the cooking rack (that was still obviously out.) Donghyuck hasn’t been to Marks in a week, it’s evident. The place is disgusting. But Mark has been in a slump since their last fight. It was probably the worst they’ve had. 

Donghyuck was making cookies, chocolate chips, because they’re Mark's favorites, when the older boy waltzed into the kitchen planting a kiss on the younger's shoulder. Chills ran up and down Donghyuck’s body. He whipped around to see Mark smiling at him. Donghyuck loved this, how domestic it felt. He loved being in Mark's presence, talking to him, feeling Marks lips on his. 

Marks lips. They were so soft and every time they kissed fire was set to Donghyuck’s heart. 

Donghyuck leaned in, catching Mark's lip in a kiss. Mark kisses him back, but it’s not as deep as usual. So Donghyuck kisses harder, deeper. 

Mark pulls away. Catching his breath slightly, he stares at Donghyuck. Donghyuck rolls his eyes. 

“What?”

“You’re gonna hate me.” Mark sighs. Donghyuck turns cold instantly. Like a light switch that he’s so accustomed to turning off and on every time he’s around mark. 

“I have to go for a while.” Donghyuck stares. 

“Why’s that a problem? Why would I hate you for that?” Donghyuck giggles because Mark was being ridiculous, he had to leave, no big deal. The light switches back on. 

“Jess needs my help.” the light switches off. Donghyucks half tempted to walk out of marks apartment without any further explanation, because of course he has to leave because of Jess, of fucking course it’s Jess. But he didn’t leave and instead he stared at Mark who refused to make eye contact with him. 

Donghyuck was fighting a battle, a battle with Mark to make him love him back. Donghyuck isn’t quite sure if it’s a losing battle. 

The two sat in silence until Mark spoke up again. “I really should go Hyuck I’m sorry–“

“Fuck you.” Donghyuck interrupts.

“Don’t Start. Hyuck she’s just a friend.” 

“Mark she’s in love with you. Like literally in love with you. Told me herself in love with you.” Mark stares. “Why is it so hard to comprehend the fact that she’s always calling you at the most random fucking times to get help when in reality she just wants to spend time with you?”

“I don’t understand why you’re so upset, she's just my friend.” If looks could kill, Mark would’ve been so dead by now. 

“That’s in love with you!” Donghyuck screams. His voice is getting higher now and he’s irritated. Mark never listens to him. 

“Okay and…” Mark pauses, contemplating if he should say what comes next.

“And what? And what, Mark. Say it.” Donghyuck eggs on, He’s pissed.

“And, you’re in love with me too.” Donghyuck feels his heart hit the floor. 

“Fuck you Mark.” He yells. Tears begging to brim his eyes. “You don’t get to use that against me. You don’t get to use me loving you as an excuse to go hang out with fucking Jess. If you even gave a damn about me you wouldn’t have thought about using that against me. Not when I'd take all the stars, put them in a jar and hand them to you, and you know it.” 

Mark just stares, because that’s what he’s always done. He doesn’t know how to respond to Donghyuck, ever. Partly because it hurts and Partly because Mark knows he’s right and he knows he fucked up, again. 

“I’m leaving,” Donghyuck announces. “Have fun fucking Jess or whatever you do when you’re helping her.” The younger grabs his keys, throws on his shoes and walks out. slamming the door behind him.

Mark didn’t go to Jess’ house that night. 

Now Mark sat on his couch, Staring at his messy Kitchen that he knew he should probably clean. He misses Donghyuck and how he knew he’d yell at him about the way the house looked right now. He missed his honey-colored hair and tan skin that always smelled like shea butter and baby lotion. He missed the wrath of Donghyuck’s body on top of his while they laid on the couch and watched cliche movies. He missed his laugh and the way he talks. Mark missed the way donghyuck always makes him feel like he’s valid, like he’s whole, like he’s loved. And whoa, was Mark an asshole for using that against him. He should apologize. He fucked up, again. 

Mark pulls out his phone to call the other boy when he hears a knock on his apartment door. Mark goes up to it and looks out the peephole, and just like he was on cue, Donghyuck stands outside Mark's door with his overnight bag. 

Mark opens the door and fully expects to be engulfed by donghyuck, but he isn’t. Donghyuck pushes right past Mark and heads to the sofa. Marks taken aback. 

As Donghyck sits down he looks around. Filth. “Mark What the fuck?” He asks. “The place is trashed.” Donghyuck stands up and heads towards the kitchen, Mark shuts the door and follows him. Donghyuck reaches into the cabinet that houses marks cleaning supplies (the ones he put there) and pulls out a trash bag. He starts throwing the empty take out containers away. When he’s done he moves to the island. He notices the oven mitts and empty cooling rack. Donghyuck stares at Mark. 

“Did you eat all the cookies?” Mark shakes his head no. Donghyuck whips around and opens the oven. Lo and behold the chocolate chip cookies he made, rock hard, still in the oven. 

“Mark...dude.” Donghyuck sighs. 

“Look. I’ve been in a slump, I’ve tried cleaning and every time I do I get overwhelmed and I’m not sure if I’m doing any of it right–“

“Because I’m the one who cleans for you.” Mark rolls his eyes.

“Yes. But that’s beside the point. I was just I don’t know, sad. Mad at myself.” Mark pause. “Hyuck I missed you.” The light switches on. It’s so hard for Donghyuck to stay mad at Mark. Sure he came over but he wasn’t going to forgive him, he was going to make him sleep on the couch. But here he was apologizing so fast, so easy. 

Donghyuck sets the trash bag on the floor and finds himself walking towards Mark to wrap him in a hug. His hands reach around Mark's waist as he buries his face into Mark's shoulder. 

“I’m sorry,” Mark whispers. Donghyuck looks up and stares at Mark. Mark fucks up a lot, he hurts donghyuck a lot, but it was always in these moments, wrapped in each other’s arms, staring at one another when Donghyuck could feel the love radiating off of Mark. Mark was just stupid and didn’t know how to express his feelings. Donghyuck's okay with that, he’s okay with waiting. 

Mark leans in and presses a kiss to Donghyuck’s lips. He kisses him deep, nothing like last time. But the Donghyuck pulls away. 

“Just because you apologized does not mean you’re getting out of cleaning.”  
“But hyuck,” Mark whines. Donghyuck laughs at the older boy.  
“I don’t care. start cleaning.” 

When the house is all cleaned up it’s around 11 pm. Hyuck has just got in the shower and Marks sprawled out on the couch looking for something to watch.

He’s absentmindedly scrolling through Netflix when Donghyuck walks out. He’s dressed in Mark's favorite shirt, his red oversized Vancouver one. Marks staring, he knows he is, but he can’t help it, the boy in front of him is just so beautiful. 

Donghyuck’s face heats up. “Stop staring.” 

“I can't help it. You look good in red.”


	2. i’ll be the love of your life inside your head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter two!! There’s mention of drinking and Drug use but nothing heavy, so just a warning. as always please excuse any grammar errors. I hope you enjoy <3

Liking. Sternberg says that intimate liking is what creates true friendships. Friendships in which a person feels a bond, a warmth, and a closeness to another without passion or wanting a long term commitment. 

Donghyuck is Mark's best friend. They've been friends for as long as Mark can remember, there's not a time he can remember where he wasn't best friends with Donghyuck. 

Mark has always been drawn to the younger boy. Ever since the first time he actually interacted with Donghyuck, way back in grade school. 

Mark was a grade ahead of Donghyuck, but the day Donghyuck marched into Mark's 2nd-grade class with a pair of scissors to cut some girl's hair, he was intrigued. 

Later that week, when Donghyuck was allowed back on the playground, Mark walked up to him and asked why he cut the girls hair. 

”Because she deserved it.” Donghyuck deadpanned. 

”But why?” 

”Because she called me an overdramatic bitch when I told her it wasn't funny to make fun of other people. So, I showed her an overdramatic bitch.” 

Fiery from day one. That's what Mark loved so much about him. How firey he was, how much passion and love he held for everything and everyone. 

After that day the two became inseparable. Where Donghyuck was, Mark was. They grew up together. Best friends. 

They shared so many first. The first time Mark failed a  
test and Donghyuck was there all night with some chocolate chip cookies and a shoulder to cry on. The first time Donghyuck got his heartbroken by Jeno, and then the second. The first time Mark got stood up by a girl. The first time they got drunk. The first time they got high. The first time donghyuck came out to Mark as gay. The first time Mark came out as bisexual. Their first kiss. Donghyuck's real first love. 

Infatuation. Sternberg says infatuate love is love without intimacy and commitment. He says Infatuated love can disappear quickly. 

Somewhere between Donghyuck’s junior year and Mark’s senior the lines between them began to blur. They weren't together by no means, but the amount of nights Mark spent with Donghyuck's tongue tangled in his mouth grew. The amount of stolen glances increased. Somewhere along the way the two fell in love, a messy love. 

Donghyuck knew he was in love with Mark after the second time Jeno broke his heart. Mark showed up to his house with sunflowers, he offered to spend the rest of his life with the younger if it made him happy. 

Once they both finally entered college Donghyuck wanted more, but Mark always seemed to back away. They started playing a game of cat and mouse. Donghyuck giving his all, Mark soaking it all up, showering the younger with love and then all at once turning into a desert. 

Mark loved Donghyuck, he knows he does. He just doesn't know what type. 

Maybe it was romantic love. The type of love sternberg classified as love bonded emotionally. Or maybe it was Empty love. Love without intimacy or passion. Mark didn’t know, it was bullshit. 

Maybe he should pay more attention to Donghyuck’s psychology lessons. 

—

”On a 1 to 100 scale how pretty are my eyes.” Donghyuck stares up at Mark, making puppy dog eyes and blinking his long lashes. 

Mark looks down at the younger. ”101.” Donghyuck sighs and sits up. 

”You're so sappy.” Donghyuck draws his words out and lays his head onto Marks lap. Starting up at the older as he reads. He reaches up to trace his fingers across Marks neck moles. Beautiful, everything, every little detail about him was absolutely beautiful. Maybe that's why Donghyuck loved him so much. Or maybe it was the way he laughed at the stupidest things, or how he went up to random people on the street just to embarrass Donghyuck. Maybe it was the way he was just as overdramatic as him but didn't like to admit it. Maybe it was the way he played his guitar for him when he was sad, or the way he'd pick wildflowers in the spring and hand them to him on their walk home, or the way Mark would stay up until 4:30 in the morning playing Sims, or the way Mark loves tea, or the way he kissed him as the sun streamed in through the windows after a long day. Maybe it was the way they fought and the way Mark always broke his heart. He just loved Mark. Wholey, unconditionally, dirty laundry and all. 

Mark looks down at the younger boy laying in his lap and sets his book down, grabbing Donghyuck’s hand and intertwining their fingers.

“Says the one tracing moles and staring at me like I put the stars in the sky.”

“Well.” Donghyuck counters. 

“You are the stars.” Mark bends his head down and captures Donghyuck’s lips in a kiss. It’s slow, sweet. Donghyuck is melting under Mark, like the moonlight over the ocean. 

Mark’s lips were so soft, so warm and donghyuck could drown in them all day gladly. 

“I love you,” Donghyuck whispers as he breaks away from the kiss. 

Mark stares.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to say it, I know.” Donghyuck pauses. “It’s okay. I promise.” and that's the thing, it was okay. Donghyuck knew Mark loved him, he just wasn’t ready to say it. 

Donghyuck thinks Mark’s afraid of commitment, but he won’t bring up the topic because he knows it’ll piss Mark off. But nonetheless, it still hurts every time Donghyuck says those three words and Mark just stares at him. 

He removes his head from Marks lap. “I should get going, I have work later,” Donghyuck says defeated taking his gaze away from mark.

“Hyuck..”

“I really just have to work soon.” Donghyuck gives Mark a light smile. 

“Yeah. it’s whatever.”

Donghyuck looks back at Mark. He doesn’t know what he expects him to do. How is he supposed to sit there when Mark didn’t say it back, again. 

He stands up making his way to the door to put his shoes on. 

“I’m sorry, I really have to work soon.” Donghyuck turns to Mark. “I’ll text when I’m done, yeah?” 

“Do what you want.” Mark huffs, Donghyuck rolls his eyes. 

the switch flips off.

“There’s no need to be an ass mark.”

“I just said do what you want. I’m not the one walking out.” 

“I have to work, what am I supposed to do? Call in when you just stared at me when I told you I fucking loved you?”

Fiery. 

“You said it was okay.” Mark looks defeated. Donghyuck soften  
his face. 

“It is, but you don’t get to use it against me. stop using it against me.” Mark stares.

“I have to go. I’ll text you later.” Donghyuck walks out.

—

Later that night Mark’s sitting in his room working on some music when he hears a knock on the door. 

he looks through the peephole, of course, it’s donghyuck. Mark opens the door to let the younger in.

“I brought you food. I figured you hadn’t eaten yet.”

Mark stares. He Fucked up yet again, and here donghyuck was, fixing his mess, again. 

“I’m sorry.” He finally manages to say. 

“It’s okay. But if you don’t mind I kinda wanna hey home so like.” Donghyuck motions to  
his food.

“Stay. Please.” 

The light switches on. Donghyuck smiles. Mark smiles back and cause donghyuck to roll his eyes and  
bunch his arm. 

Donghyuck pushes past him. “I’m stealing one of your shirts though.” 

“That would be my pleasure.” 

Donghyuck disappears into Mark's room to rummage through his clothes and change. Mark gets comfortable on the couch waiting for the younger so they can eat. 

When Donghyuck finally walks out he’s wearing Mark's signature shirt. The Vancouver one Donghyuck always seems to find his way into. 

Mark stares as always. 

“I hate you,” Donghyuck states, cheeks turning bright red. 

“You look so good in red.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thinking of making a playlist for all the songs i’ve listened to while writing, maybeee. lemme know :)

**Author's Note:**

> idkkk i always hate my writing and think it could be better but :)


End file.
